Negotiating and saying no professionally

Learning objective

Saying no to extra work does not mean refusing; it means showing what it would cost. Offer the trade: this instead of that, or a later date, so the decision stays theirs.

Worked example

"I can take the report, but the tests then slip to Wednesday. Which would you rather have first?"

Your practice task

Practise turning two over-committed yeses into a trade-off question.

Do this before moving on. Reading a solution teaches the shape of it; typing it teaches you.

Key takeaway

Saying no to extra work does not mean refusing; it means showing what it would cost. Offer the trade: this instead of that, or a later date, so the decision stays theirs.

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Finish every lesson to unlock the certificate. Each one ends in a practice task — do them and the final project brief writes itself.